Attack-minded Clarke takes Rás yellow jersey

Paddy Clarke takes the yellow jersey into today’s final stage of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan – level on time with Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) – following yesterday’s thrilling third stage.

The Liquidworx-Fitscience rider started yesterday’s gruelling 144 kilometre trek, which started and finished in Waterville, in sixth place overall 39 seconds down on overnight leader Sean McKenna (Irish U23 Development).

But Clarke managed to infiltrate the crucial 10-man break that escaped inside the opening 30 kilometres, and that group stayed away to contest the finish.

And with none of the five who started the day ahead of him on the General Classification in the break, Clarke took the yellow jersey.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to wear the leader’s jersey in one of the biggest races on the Irish racing calendar,” the 26-year-old Mayo man said afterwards.

“I came in here a little under the radar but I knew I had good legs today and I made the race as difficult as I could by attacking as often as I could early on.

“Though I missed the initial move of five that went away by Ballinskelligs I managed to merge with four others and when I saw the five guys ahead of me overall had missed it, I just put the hammer down and drilled it to get as much of a gap as I could on them,” he explained.

Indeed, some of the biggest losers of the day were the Aquablue and UCD CC teams, as well as the Irish U23 Development team who had the yellow jersey wearer, Sean McKenna, in their ranks and back in the peloton.

And though they made a concerted effort to bridge across – reigning champion Damien Shaw and Sean Lacey came to within a minute, they eventually ran out of steam and came over the line 1’ 25” down.

Coming in for the finish, the attention turned to stage honours and though local man Eugene Moriarty looked like he was going to spring a surprise, he was just overhauled on the line by Páidí O’Brien (Osbourne Meats/Edge Sports Shop) and Friday’s stage winner Cathal Moynihan (Tralee BC/Manor West) with Clarke and Dowling finishing in the same time.

But Clarke is the first to admit that the race is still there for the taking.

“There are over 10 guys within 90 seconds of me and that’s nothing in a race like this. Groups have slipped away before on the final day and pulled out big time because today is a hard stage and plenty guys still have every right to believe they can win. Dowling is on the same time as me, Sean Lacey is 47 seconds down, McKenna is at 46 seconds and there’s a string of Dutch guys right up there as well.

“But I’m confident because I feel good and I’ve a good team who will ride out of their skins for me today; Eddie Barry, Chris Reilly, Mike Storan, Gareth McCormack and Brian Canty know what they need to do today. It’s very simple, they must chase down everything that looks dangerous and in all likelihood, they won’t finish the race today from all the chasing they’re going to have to do.”